Last-tube.



H. 0. DAVIS.

LAST TUBE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5. I915.

Fir-

Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

Irm/ENTU FR: MILD/W15 "re a e:

HENRY 0. DAVIS, 01 PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS.

LAST-TUBE.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented Sept. 114i, 1915,

Application filed May 5, 1915. Serial No. 26,067.

. certain operations involved in the manufacproved tube.

ture of a shoe.

It is customary to insert in the hole a metallic bushing tube to prevent the last from being split by t e jack spindle, and to prevent the spindle from being forced into the wood at the bottom of the hole. The inner end of the tube has a bottom formed to bear on the end of the spindle and sustain the end thrust. In some tubes said bottom is formed by an inwardly projecting flange constituting an annular bottom, the flange surrounding a central opening in said bottom. In other tubes the bottom is continuous or made without a central opening. It is found that in either case the tube bottom is liable to be broken, distorted and forced outwardly by the pressure of the spindle against it.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved construction of a last tube or bushing with reference to-its inner end or bottom whereby the objections incidental to bushings as heretofore constructed are obviated.

The invention is embodied in the. improved last tube which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 repre sents a longitudinal section of an ordinary last tube having abottom'formed as an 'annular flange. Fig. 2 represents an edge view of an inserted bottom member which forms a part of the two part bottom of my im- Fig. 3 represents a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, showing the tube made with a seam at one side. Fig. 3 represents a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the tube made seamless. Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal section of the completed tilbe, the inserted bottom member being anchored in place. Fig. 5 represents-a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 represents a sectional view of a tube having a continuous seamless bottom as heretofore made. Fig. 6 represents a view similar to Fig. 6, showing a central opening formed in the tube bottom shown by Fig. 6.

The same reference characters indicate the same or similar parts in all the views.

. In the drawings,12 represents an ordinary last tube or bushing adapted to be insorted in a socket formed by a hole bored in the heel portion of the last and to receive the usual jack spindle by which the last is sup ported, said hole extending partly through the last. The inner end of the tube has a bottom formed to bear on the end of the spindle. Said bottom may be an inwardly projecting annular flange 13 surrounding an opening 14, tubes with bottoms thus formed being now in common use. Tubes having continuous bottoms are also in common 'use, the tube being formed as shown by Fig. 6 and having a seamless bottom 13*. The tube is in some cases formed from a metal blank the edges of which meet to form a seam or joint 15, as shown by Fig. 3, said joint extending through the annular bottom 13. In other cases the tube and bottom are seamless, as indicated by Fig. 3*, the bottom being formed by crimping or bending inwardly one end of the tubular blank. In other cases both the tube and bottom are seamless and formed by pressing a metal blank to form the seamless tube and bottom shown by Fig. 6.

It has been found that either of the tube bottoms formed as above described is liable to be forced outwardly and distorted by the pressure of the spindle against it, thus permitting the spindle to enter and split the Wooden body of the last at the inner end of the socket.

In carrying out my invention, I provide an inserted bottom member 17, which is formed to fit the interior of the tube and is seated on the inner side of the annular flange 13. The member 17 is provided with a shank 17 formed to closely fit the opening 14:, and of sufficient length to project from the outer side of the flange 13 when the member 17 is first inserted, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the original length of the shank being greater than the thickness of the flange.

The member 17 and its shank 17 are made of a single piece of any suitable malleable metal. The shank is longitudinally com pressed, while the member 17 is held. against the inner side of the flange 13, until the length of the shank is reduced to substantially the thickness of the flange. The pressure which longitudinally compresses the shank also expands its outer end and thus forms a shank flange 17 which is pressed into the outer side of the tube flange 13, and interlocked therewith, as shown by Fig. 1, so that the inserted bottom member 17 is securely anchored to the tube.

The tube flange 13 and the inserted bottom member 17 with its longitudinally compressed and laterally expanded shank form a two-part reinforced tube bottom of the same diameter as the tube and adapted to be inserted in hole bored partly through the last, and tcr'bear on the bottom of said hole.

In case the tube is formed originally with a continuous bottom 13, as shown by Fig. 6, said bottom may be made annular and converted into a flange by forming an opening 141 in its central portion, as shown by Fig. 6, adapted to receive the shank 17".

Having described my ini ention, I claim A last tube having an integral inwardly projecting flange at its inner end surrounding a central opening of smaller diameter than the tube, and a bottom member seated on the inner side of the tube flange and having a shank passing through and closely fitting said opening, and riveted into the outer surface of the flange, said tube flange and the bottom member with its shank forming a two-part reinforced tube bottom of the same diameter as the tube, and adapted to enter a hole extending partly through a last end to bear on the bottom of said hole.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

HENRY o. DAVIS. 

